Beating the Odds: UFC 170

In his first Octagon appearance, Chavez -- a +245 underdog,
according to BetDSI.com -- delivered the sole upset on Saturday at
the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, as he claimed a split
decision over Yosdenis
Cedeno in a preliminary lightweight matchup. Cedeno entered the
cage as a -295 favorite.

Chavez was positionally dominant, landing takedowns and
ground-and-pound. Although Cedeno utilized superior striking and
lightning-quick footwork, at least in the first two rounds, the
Chavez ground game appeared far more seasoned and provided the
difference in the fight.

Cedeno’s strongest round was the first, where he landed several
solid kicks. However, Chavez, a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu,
capitalized on a missed wheel kick and put the MMA Masters
representative on his back. Though Chavez failed to do any
significant damage and Cedeno managed to stand in the last few
seconds of the round, the tone was set.

The second round clearly belonged to Chavez. Although Cedeno
continued to work his leg kicks, Chavez countered nicely, landed a
takedown to side control and transitioned to full mount. Round
three was far more uneventful, with Chavez controlling the cage and
Cedeno mostly circling to his left.

Two cageside judges, Junichiro Kamijo and Mark Smith,
saw the fight for Chavez, with Kamijo scoring all three rounds in
his favor. Tony Weeks scored it 29-28 for Cedeno.